Jean-Marc Vallée

Jean-Marc Vallée OC OQ (March 9, 1963 – December 25, 2021) was a Canadian filmmaker, film editor, and screenwriter. After studying film at the Université du Québec à Montréal, Vallée made several critically acclaimed short films. His debut feature, Black List (1995), was nominated for nine Genie Awards. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005) which took almost ten years to make due to Vallée's perfectionism and budget constraints, received critical acclaim and was a financial success. The Young Victoria (2009) garnered strong reviews and three Academy Award nominations. His subsequent films, Dallas Buyers Club (2013) and Wild (2014), continued this acclaim. Vallée had a naturalistic approach to filming, often encouraging improvisation, using natural lighting and handheld cameras. He was known to equate himself to 'a kid on a set, playing with a huge toy and having fun'. His venture into television included executive producing and directing Big Little Lies (2017) and Sharp Objects (2018) for HBO. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for Big Little Lies. Vallée was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. He was married to Chantal Cadieux and they had two sons. Vallée passed away from cardiac arrhythmia in 2021.

Vallée's early works include five music videos written and directed in 1985. His short films received considerable critical interest, especially Stereotypes (1991) which won several prizes. The autobiographical tone in his shorts Magical Flowers (1995) and Magical Words (1998) resonated with audiences, exploring the relationship between father and son. Vallée made his feature-length debut with Black List (1995), the highest-grossing film in Quebec that year. After moving to Los Angeles, he directed Los Locos (1998) and Loser Love (1999). Vallée was preparing C.R.A.Z.Y. during the mid-90s, a screenplay inspired by his youth. Despite the lengthy production phase spanning a decade, C.R.A.Z.Y was released in 2005 receiving both financial success and critical recognition. His success from C.R.A.Z.Y led to numerous opportunities including being hired by Graham King and Martin Scorsese to direct The Young Victoria (2009). His subsequent films like Dallas Buyers Club (2013) and Wild (2014) attracted widespread acclaim.